British PM May urges her party to back EU Brexit plan: spokesman

The Daily Telegraph said on Tuesday night that senior Brexiteers said that they have enough letters in hand to trigger a confidence vote and will submit them unless she hardens her Brexit plans.

The prime minister has warned the Tory party it must unite or face the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn in power.

The trans-Atlantic relationship has had some awkward moments since Trump's election.

He was severely criticised last November, including by May, after sharing three inflammatory anti-Muslim videos posted by far-right group Britain First.

Michael Gove left no doubt that he would not follow Boris Johnson and David Davis out of the Cabinet, declaring that he backed the Prime Minister's plans "100 per cent".

"There's always turmoil in every country but no, no, I think the United Kingdom is proceeding as it always does", he told BBC radio.

On the planned protests, the ambassador said that Trump appreciated free speech and dismissed as "irrelevant" a giant balloon of Trump depicted as a crying baby in nappies which will fly next to the British parliament on Friday.

"And there's another question about how they were drawn up because they were drawn up in secret without telling the Secretary of State for leaving the European UnionDavid Davis what was going on, whilst his department was working on a White Paper".

Jeremy Hunt, appointed foreign secretary as May carried out a hurried reshuffle of her top team, vowed that he would be "four square" behind her in driving through her Brexit plan.

He said the British position is now "a basis for a real negotiation now and what we haven't had for many months is a clear negotiating position".

There appears to be no immediate challenge to Ms May's leadership, as the Brexit hardliners simply do not have the numbers, and her Conservative Party seems set to weather this storm, despite deep divisions on the issue.

Ambassador Johnson said he would facilitate a meeting between Trump and Boris Johnson, who is seen as a potential challenger to May, telling BBC radio: "If the president wants to do that and he feels it's appropriate, he'll make that decision".

Other pro-Brexit Cabinet ministers said they supported May and would not resign.

Unhappily for May, his most effusive praise was reserved for the outgoing foreign secretary. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party.

"We deliver that Brexit and we do it in a way that protects jobs and livelihoods and meets our commitment to Northern Ireland", she said.

The pair said they have stood down as they oppose Theresa May's Chequers policy on Brexit.

And in an article for The Scotsman today, Ms Sturgeon writes: "After the Davis and Johnson resignations, it is highly questionable whether there is a majority for the Chequers plan as it stands".

European Union officials say they will respond to the proposals once they have seen details. The British government is due to publish a detailed version of the plans on Thursday.